Seaweed for cattle has gone commercial.
The use of Asparagopsis seaweed as a feed supplement lowers methane emissions and it is being sold commercially for the first time according to Meat & Livestock Australia and FutureFeed.
The first commercial sale of Asparagopsis feed supplement in Australia by CH4 Global comes following the discovery that adding a small amount of Asparagopsis seaweed to a ruminant’s existing feed can reduce their methane emissions by more than 80%.
FutureFeed was formed in August 2020 to commercialise the technology developed by CSIRO.
Licenses were issued to seaweed growers to supply Asparagopsis to the livestock market. There are currently three licensees in Australia: CH4 Global, Sea Forest and SeaStock.
FutureFeed senior advisor Cassandra Kelly said just a few years ago, Asparagopsis was a largely unknown seaweed that was not cultivated in commercial quantities and had very few applications outside of niche cosmetics and as a condiment in Hawaii.
“Now we are seeing a new industry with the capability to support local communities and the creation of jobs whilst working together to make a meaningful impact on methane emissions from livestock,” Ms Kelly said.
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